Pups on a Hunt
by ChaseisKing
Summary: When Katie is kidnapped by a shadow from Ryder's childhood, he and the PAW Patrol must do whatever it takes to bring her back, even if it means life or death. Direct sequel to Pups in a Disaster (/s/10699037/1/Pups-in-a-Disaster). A must-read if you despise the kiddy subjects of the normal PAW Patrol episodes!
1. Chapter 1

"Well, mates, till we meet again."

The PAW Patrol sniffled in a sad reply. Their dear friend who was also Ryder's parent's security Pup, Talon, was leaving Adventure Bay. A month ago, the bloodhound had visited the PAW Patrol and just in the nick of time to help extinguish a fire at the Lookout. Although planning to only stay for a week, Ryder hired him to replace Chase, who had been critically injured in the event, until the police Pup was fully healed. Now, the German Sheppard was nursed back to full strength. It was time for Talon to go.

"We can't thank you enough for the things you have done." Chase said, "Glad to have you serve with the PAW Patrol."

And indeed, Talon had been an invaluable aid to the team. Though formerly trained in military operations , the security Pup filled the spot of Chase quite well. Not only that, the two were built the same, with eerily similar physical resemblances, apart from Talon's more sculpt body. In addition, his childish British accent played a part in his friendliness, as well as his naïve sense of humor.

"Not only that, Talon, your equipment is so awesome!" exclaimed Rubble, who had been the biggest fan of Talon's futuristic gizmos, including a dog-portable missile launcher and several laughing gas grenades.

"I'll miss you too, mates, but before I board the train I must first dress for the job." replied Talon as he adjusted his eye-patch, "I believe all my stuff are in my Pup Pack."

"Why must you do that?" Skye yipped curiously.

"I must look like a professional security Pup, mates. It's an important part of providing top-notch security." The bloodhound then trotted off into a nearby bush, dragging his green rugged Pup-Pack behind.

"You know he could have just gone to the washroom." Marshall pointed out.

A moment later, Talon emerged again in a Homeland Security vest, sunglasses and a beige PAW Patrol beret, presenting the very best image of an formidable security Pup. He had donned on his knapsack, which was dreadfully tiny for the various tools and gadgets it contained.

"Looking dangerous, Talon." remarked Ryder with a playful smirk and scratched the bloodhound behind the ears, much to his displeasure.

Just then, the P.A system crackled to life and a monotone announcement came over, "Any passengers leaving for Eastwood must board Train 113A now, as it will leave in 3 minutes. I repeat, any passengers leaving for Eastwood must board Train 113A now, as it will leave in 3 minutes."

"Dude, isn't that your twain?" questioned Zuma.

"Yep, it is." The security Pup waved his friends one last goodbye as he hesitantly boarded the blue and yellow locomotive. "Farewell, mates!"

"Good bye Talon! We'll miss you!" the Pups cried back.


	2. Chapter 2

Two months later…

"Meow meow meow."

"Cali, I told you no treats tonight. We need to save some for the PAW Patrol when they get their baths tomorrow." said Katie as she was putting out pet shampoo bottles for display. Yet her kitten continued to claw at her pants.

"Meow meow meow." Cali seemed undaunted; the PAW Patrol wasn't an excuse for her rumbling tummy.

"And yes Cali your bath is also tomorrow."

"Meow! Meow meow MEOW!"

"You silly little kitty. There's a full moon out tonight. Why don't you go and enjoy it?"

Purring gleefully, Cali scampered out, the automatic doors closing behind her. In the far distant, Katie could hear the little feline let out a dissonant cat song full of misplaced accents and wrong pitches. It would surely have drove her neighbors up the wall!

As she was wiping the counters clean, Katie heard a soft rustle behind her. It was soon followed by a low buzz. First dismissing it blatantly as the wind, the noise grew in intensity until it filled the small salon with the eeriness of a haunted asylum. Finally, Katie turned around to investigate and saw what was horribly wrong: the windows at the front of the salon were completely missing.

'I must be hallucinating.' she thought. Shutting her eyes and opening them again, the image in fact was not a dream or an illusion. A light crinkle attracted her eyes to her feet. The shattered glass laid there, carefully arranged to spell out "Behind You". Katie's heart missed a beat. Zillions of sinking worms sank through her body, making the butterflies in her stomach look like amateurs

The low buzzing continued. What could be behind her? A revenge-hungry demon? A bloodthirsty zombie? A wolf infected with rabies? She was deathly afraid of horror movies, and this very moment was a nightmare come true. Katie tried to dash out of the salon, but it was no use, her petrified being refused to let logic and reasoning come into play. And for the first time in forever, she wanted Ryder by her side, to protect and make her feel safe.

Unfortunately for Katie, the worst was just about to commence. Suddenly, a sharp needle effortlessly poked through her clothes and sank into her back, releasing a wave of ravaging neurotoxins. It poured in her bloodstreams, busing up to her brain and one by one shut off the pet groomer's body. Katie found herself unable to produce even a faint murmur, let alone a step towards the door. Her heart stopped beating, her muscles stopped moving and she collapsed, as dead as a sack.


	3. Chapter 3

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Ryder jolted awake. Reaching for his beeping Pup Pad like a drunk, he couldn't stop yawning or stretching in very odd ways to somehow make his body reignite faster. His morning voice was raspy and uncoordinated, "Ryder here. How may I help you?"

"Ryder!" It was Mr. Porter, his distressed face bulging out on the screen. His mustache was jumping up and down and beads of sweat dripped down his cheeks, conveying the sense of an urgent problem.

"What's the problem, Mr. Porter?" grumbled Ryder, hoping the restaurant owner did not drive his delivery van into the river or lose a platter of ham sandwiches to a flock of seagulls.

"Ryder, it's Katie's salon. I was just passing with the usual morning deliveries when I saw it. There is something very wrong. The windows are missing but everything inside is fine. But the bad part is ... KATIE IS MISSING!"

Ryder's eyes widened until it rivaled dinner plates. Kidnappers? In Adventure Bay? It was like reading about penguins living with no worries in the North Pole. Adventure Bay was probably one of the cleanest towns in the wholeworld. An act of kidnapping would surely ruin its hard-earned reputation. But on the positive side, it wasn't an "emergency" that only required him, one or two Pups and a basic demonstration of their skills.

"Don't worry, Mr. Porter, we'll be there as soon as possible!" promised Ryder energetically as he shot up and banged on the PAW Patrol emergency button, "No job is too big, no Pup is too small! PAW Patrol, to the Lookout!"

"Ryder, we're right behind you."

The Pups indeed were at attention. They formed a straight attentive line, a professional rescue force made up of a fire Pup, a police Pup, a recycling and engineering Pup, an aviation Pup, a construction Pup and a water Pup. Embarrassingly, Ryder figured out that he had fallen asleep in the command center of the Lookout, probably after correcting an annoying computer glitch the day before. Nevertheless the PAW Patrol leader forced a serious look.

"Ready for action, Ryder sir!" barked out Chase with the discipline of an Army soldier.

"Okay, Pups, we have a hugeemergency this morning. It might be comparable to the fire at the Lookout." said Ryder matter-of-factly.

The Pups gasped with horror. Then nervous chit-chattering surfaced, only to be silenced by a gesture from Ryder.

"What is it?" Rocky spoke up fearfully. A ripple of fear welled up in the Pup's guts, stretching dark fingers out around his chest. Even thinking about the Lookout fire was too much to bear. It had almost wiped out the entire PAW Patrol team, and scarred their fellow police Pup for eternity. Chase's fur was blackened in some areas, he walked with a slight limp and a faint but visible scar ran from his left eye diagonally down to his jaw, degrading his appearance to a lowly villain's.

"Mr. Porter reported to me that Katie's salon has been vandalized. Although the only acts of it was a shattered window, Katie herself is nowhere to be found and is presumed to be kidnapped." The crude yet effective animations on the briefing screen played out the demoralizing scenario.

Again the Pups gasped, but this time with more shock and awe.

"W-W-Who would do this?" stammered Marshall..

"Vandalism and kidnapping in one cwime. This kidnapping dude, or dudes, must be very dangewous!" Zuma stated, unintentionally adding to the fire Pup's fright.

"Zuma is right. We do not know who did it or why it was done. We also do not know where Katie and her kidnapper, or kidnappers, are. This emergency will require all of the PAW Patrol. We will need to search for clues that might answer these questions at the salon. Alright, PAW Patrol is on a roll!"


	4. Chapter 4

In no time flat, the PAW Patrol had arrived at the scene, forming a tight semicircle around the salon, while Skye hovered overhead in her boxy pink helicopter, her binocular goggles glued to the rooftop.

Mr. Porter, who had just emerged from the salon, caught sight of the rescue force and rushed forward to hastily greet them, "Ryder and the PAW Patrol, I'm so glad you're here. We need to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible!"

"Thanks for reporting this emergency to us, Mr. Porter. We'll take it from here. You can go finish delivering your vegetables now." replied the PAW Patrol leader kindly as he laid down his helmet on the seat of his ATV.

"Yep, got to deliver-OH MY GOSH, I'M LATE! LATE!" cried Mr. Porter as he bounced back to his vehicle in three long strides, and sped off down Main Street.

"Nothing suspicious on the roof, Ryder. They must have entered in through the front." reported Skye over the radio. Telling by the anxiety in her voice, Ryder knew Skye desperately wanted the kidnapper, or kidnappers, caught and Katie found.

"Great observations, Skye." complimented Ryder gladly. Turning to the other Pups, Ryder parked his ATV as he gave out new orders, "Okay, PAW Patrol, this is now a mystery that we have to crack. Go inside the salon and fish out any suspicious clues you find."

"What should I do, Ryder?" demanded Skye.

"Continue monitoring from the air. We must pick up every piece of evidence in and around the salon." The connection was cut off, and Ryder guessed that his aviation Pup was up to the job. He smiled diligently; his Pups never fail to impress him.

"Ryder, I found Cali!" Chase called out from inside the salon. In his paws was the sleeping kitten. Though cuddled up like she was next to a warm fireplace, not one, not two but three long scratches adorned her back. Ryder cringed, they looked like the decisive results of a fight. Rocky, on the other hand, leaned in closer to look at the marks more carefully.

"Judging by these scratching marks, whoever kidnapped Katie must also have a companion dog. And these furthermore tell us that this dog isn't fully grown yet, like us puppies." Rocky announced as he analyzed Cali gently with his mechanical arms.

"Chase, can you get the Pup's scent?"

After Rocky put down the snoozing kitten, the police Pup laid on all fours and started sniffing her fur. Ultimately, he came anything but successful, "I just can't seem to get a *Achoo* scent! This Pup *Achoo* must be well-prepared to throw off an expert sniffer like me!"

"We must be dealing with professionals then," murmured Rocky, shaking his head sadly, "This day just keeps getting stranger and more complicated."

Just then, Rubble rushed over. Clamped in his jaws was a large yellow stick note, "Ryder! I found this note taped onto the counter. Do you think Katie left it as a goodbye message?" he asked, sniffling at the pitiful thought as he handed the note to the PAW Patrol leader.

"No, that can't be, she wouldn't have been allowed to write one, as it would foil whatever her kidnapper wanted to accomplish. It must be a ransom note." Ryder finalized firmly.

With the note in his hands, he started reading it aloud, "Dear Zack Ryder. If you want to see Katie again, come to the train station alone at midnight tonight. If you don't comply, if you come here accompanied, if you try anything rescue her, I will kill in cold blood. Make your decision now."

"Wait, who would call you Zack?" questioned Marshall. "It just doesn't make sense!"

"It narrows down the suspects." Ryder stated. In his soul he was sure the kidnapper knew him well, inside and out. There were few people in the world who truly knew of his childhood.

"Katie has to be rescues, no matter what!" declared Skye boldly as if she neglected to hear about the various threats. "This emergency will test out our training to the highest degree. All of us must go with Ryder to the train station."

"We can't intervene, Skye, we have to comply with whatever the wansom note says," interjected Zuma, and then giving her a chilling look. "Unless you want our fwiend dead."

"Who asked you?" shot back Skye, baring her small but sharp canine teeth.

"Enough!" ordered Ryder, stepping between the two. "We'll discuss what we're going to do at the Lookout, which everyone will go now. I'll call the police to do further examinations and clean up the salon. Skye, bring Cali to the hospital."

"Got it, Ryder." Skye put the still snoring kitten on her back and marched out of the room, snout high in the air. The whup whup whup of helicopter blades filled the room as her aircraft departed without even a farewell.

"Come on Pups, this situation will not wait," concluded Ryder. He quickly exited the salon, mounted his ATV and drove away without bothering to wait for the Pups. Reluctantly, the PAW Patrol followed en suite, not knowing what will come next.


	5. Chapter 5

Katie woke up. Her entire body was tipsy from the neurotoxin, but still had some strength to move. Flexing her weary limbs, Katie expected herself seated in a chair. Most likely strapped to it with invincible ropes. She was right.

The room Katie was in wasn't big. It was lit by a single blinking bulb, attracting a couple of beige-colored moths. In front of her was another chair minus the ropes, a suitable place for a friendly conversation, vexing questionnaire or a brutal interrogation.

'Where am I?' Katie thought. Thousands of possible responses surfaced in her mind, yet she knew all of them would have been connected to last night. Her self esteem dropped like a stone in water, all hope and faith was lost.

"Welcome to my house, Katie," said an out-of-sight person. At once, Katie automatically recognized this voice before. Could it be?

"Ryder?"

"Close." the mysterious person spoke with a slight crescendo.

"Then who are you? Why do you sound so much like Ryder? Why did you kidnap me? You know you'll get-"

"So much questions for a prisoner, Katie. Too much to answer in one night."

Katie could sense steady movement. Finally, Katie anticipated this moment and the mysterious person came into sight. Her jaws dropped to the ground, as she stared at the face of the now recognizable person.

It certainly was Ryder. No doubt, the small nose, the hazel-brown pupils and the tall spiky hair cut. Although the left portion of his face was covered by a white mask, Katie didn't even notice. She just knew in her heart that it was him. But at the same time, it wasn't. This Ryder lookalike just denied it seconds ago!

The Ryder lookalike smiled evilly and briskly left the room. Once again, Katie was left in a traumatizing loneliness.

Katie remained paralyzed, her eyes still focused on the spot where the Ryder lookalike had just stood. Her mind, now somewhat malfunctioning, ran endless loops after loops of the person. Until a menacing growl stopped it all.

"Useless blonde, _mon ami_." Tilting her head curiously and squinting her eyes, Katie could make out a dog in front of her. Although a puppy like the PAW Patrol, he was completely covered by a black jumpsuit, a balaclava and a red beret. A katana sheath hung from his compact Pup Pack. A ninja Pup? Katie considered the bizarre possibility.

However, the pet groomer was still furious. How dare this mutt talked to her like that? Attempting to rise up and kick away the Pup, Katie again was confined by the boundary of the ropes. The ninja Pup sniggered, obviously enjoying the sight of a trapped human. Just then, Katie's world started to grow blurry and draining of color. The next thing Katie knew, she blacked out once more.


	6. Chapter 6

At the command center of the Lookout, Chase, dressed in his advanced spy uniform, complete with night-vision goggle and a headset, stood at attention while Skye was zipping up the last attachment on his back. Ryder was busy prepping his Lookout workstation, a mass of monitors and computer systems before a single leather chair.

"Chase, now that it is close to midnight, I will need you to put your spying skills into action." began Ryder, "Your mission is locate Katie at the train station and relay her approximate relative position back to me. If you succeed, I'll send in rest of the Pups to bring her out. I'll communicate with you via radio and tracking your positions on the monitor for the entire time."

"Super Spy Chase is on the case, Ryder sir!"

"And Skye, I will need you to drop Chase on the rooftop of the station with your copter. Stay in the area, as you will bring Chase back once the mission is complete."

"Let's take to the sky!" yelped Skye excitedly, gracefully somersaulting in the air.

"Good luck, both of you. I wish you success." finalized Ryder. Chase and Skye then ran to the elevator and disappeared as it slid down.

Settling back into his leather chair, Ryder donned his own headset and activated the main command monitor and Chase and Skye's tracking device. In no time, he observed two green blinking triangles hovering over each other as they encircled the train station, which was marked with a red exclamation mark.

"They should be going in now," muttered the PAW Patrol leader to himself. He zoomed in closer until he could make out individual seagulls sleeping peacefully on the roof gables.

"I'm dropping in, sir." Sure enough, one of the green dots slowly detached from the other, and planted on top of the exclamation mark. The other green dot waited, then left and glided in elliptical ovals around the train station.

Meanwhile, Chase could feel the beauty of the night. The rare quietness, the twinkling stars, the warm air. Yet he refused to give in; his search-and-rescue mission was much more important and severe.

"Okay Chase, what do you see?" came Ryder's crackling voice.

Scanning around observantly, Chase saw almost nothing out of the ordinary but still decided to report, "There's nothing here except a stairwell and a canvas covering something pretty large. No strange scents. Shall I investigate the roof more, I really would like to see what's underneath the canvas."

"Negative, Chase, we cannot waste precious time. You have to head down the stairwell now."

Putting on his night-vision goggles, Chase's perspective was instantly drenched in various shades of green, providing more clarity but at the same time erasing fine details. Nevertheless, he proceeded to the stairwell, slowly opened the door and went down until he was reached the bottom, which was also behind an empty ticket booth.

"The station is deserted, Ryder. I'm at ticket booth number 8 and will be heading to Terminal 1 to continue the search."

"Got it. Just be careful."

Adhering to the contour of the walls, Chase maneuvered across without hurry. He sniffed the air for scents, while his goggles found and identified distant objects. Suddenly, his sensitive nose caught a whiff of a weak odor of daffodil flowers and blueberry pie. It sent ripples through his body, and a warming sensation exploded in his chest.

"I've got it, I've picked up Katie's perfume scent!"

"Follow it, Chase."

"Will do, sir."

Tracking the pleasant smell of his pet groomer with his face glued to the ground, Chase found himself in front of a green wooden door in a dark hallway. All of a sudden, the spy Pup could hear talking. his ears twitched furiously, attempting at all cost to know what was happening behind the door. It was Katie, and ... Ryder?

Disposing the absurd information, Chase eagerly delivered the much-anticipated report, "Ryder, I know where Katie is kept. I'm planting a listening device near her."

Pulling a listening device from his Pup Pack, Chase placed the bone-shaped contraption underneath an advertisement beside the door, and promptly activated it. A dim green light shone through the poster, blinked rapidly and finally stabilized with faint blue light. A blue bone-shaped icon would now appear on Ryder's screen, recording any audible conversations in a 5 meter radius, even through physical objects.

However much, Chase was reoccupied with the celebration of success that he was't aware of a mysterious presence watching him from the shadows. The presence, the ninja Pup Katie had confronted earlier, got up and started towards him.

Grinning from ear to ear, Chase backed away and glanced at his digital watch. Perfect, an hour before midnight. There would be plenty of time for the rest of his team to get in here and rescue Katie from the kidnappers, "Anything else you want me to do, Ryder?"

"Can you relay tell me her relative location?"

"Oh yeah, almost forgot!" Chase exclaimed, "She's located at Terminal 1, Hall 3 and inside Door Number 10."

"Information received. Good job, Chase, your mission is complete and a big success. Now rendezvous with Skye as soon as possible on the rooftop."

Chase's heart pounded in his chest like a jolly giant. Unfortunately, all that would change. The sensation of happiness and excitement would soon be replaced by the feeling of dreaded regrets as the ninja Pup stood at a good striking distance away from Chase and spoke in a slight French accent.

"_Les touristes_, including spies, are not allowed, _mon ami_."

Chase whipped around with his stun gun at ready, only to have it knocked out and a clenched paw smashing into his face. Thrown back, Chase regained his stance quickly and rubbed his new injury, a black right eye.

"Where is Katie?" the spy Pup growled angrily, "Where is she?"

"Who would want to know, _mon ami_?" The foe wore a black jumpsuit, a balaclava and a red beret, like commandos in the miliary. Yet under the deadly gear was a puppy no bigger or older than Chase. It was the fighting skills of either that decided the fate of the soon-to-be brawl.

The spy Pup charged and threw a wild punch. It was blocked with ease. Chase's goggles, in retaliation, were swiped off clean by a swift kick by the ninja Pup. Distracted by the distruptive sight change, Chase was sent to the ground again by a flurry of well-aimed attacks. He shakily again, only to find the enemy vanished into thin air.

In a flash the ninja Pup reappeared from behind and wrapped strong paws around Chase's neck. the spy Pup, struggling uselessly for a breath, was finally put unconscious by an elbow to the head. Breathing heavily with pride, the Pup bent over and pulled off Chase's headset.

"Hello? Chase? Is that you?" Ryder called out frantically from the gadget. The moment of zero communication between him and Chase would surely have caused panic.

"Negative, _mon ami_," replied the ninja Pup calmly as he toyed with the headset. There was a brief silence, and then he finished his sentence.

"Your spy _chien _is in our hands, _mon ami_. You've underestimated out abilities." Before the PAW Patrol leader could respond, the headset was violently stomped on until it was no more.

Dragging a comatose German Sheppard with him, the ninja Pup caught sight of a blinking light an ad poster. Giving his wrist computer a nudge, a shuriken launcher was produced out of his Pup Pack. It fired a silent projectile, whizzing through the air at incredible velocity. The poster glided to the ground, shredded into pieces, and revealing a mauled bone-shaped device.

"Amateurs." scoffed the ninja Pup. There would be no remorse tonight.


	7. Chapter 7

Screaming in unprecedented rage, Ryder threw off his headset and repeatedly punched the command monitor until it sprouted spider web cracks. The map of the train station gave way to a fully pink screen. It flickered, then went pitch black.

"Ryder, I don't see Chase anywhere on the roof. Do you think he's okay?" It was Skye, the anxious cockapoo appearing in one of the smaller monitors, her binocular goggles zoomed in at full.

"Skye, head back to the Lookout right now. Chase has been captured by the kidnappers."

"What! I need to go rescue him." cried Skye, "These jerks have one too many of our dear friends!"

"Abort immediately, Skye, there's nothing you can do about Chase. It's my entire fault; I underestimated the potentials of these people." Shutting off the entire system, Ryder settled back and reviewed the current situation in his mind. Some ill-fated decision he made in the past resulted in Katie being held as a hostage. Chase's mission to provide recon on Katie's whereabouts had failed miserably. Nevertheless, hope still hung to his soul. He wasn't going to give up just yet.

"I'm coming for you." Ryder whispered to himself.


	8. Chapter 8

"Chase?"

An excruciating pain ended Chase's sleep. Wincing loudly, he found himself strapped to a chair. He struggled and he twisted, but nothing he tried could even make the ropes budge a centimeter. Sniffing the air, Chase caught a whiff of flowers and berries. Somewhere in his mind, that rang an alarm bell. But an alarm bell for what?

"Chase, what happened?"

Although his basic body functions were beginning to kick in, the spy Pup unluckily continued to ignore the frantic pet groomer. His spy suit and gear had been shed and laid out neatly on a table, taunting him to break out and put it back on.

"Chase! Are you listening to me?"

"Huh? Who is it?" Chase finally responded. Whoever was talking to him sounding very familiar, yet he couldn't get a grasp of who it was. What was happening to him?

"It's me, Katie!"

Chase perked up at the name, and turned sideways to see a blonde girl wearing a gloomy expression who was bound tightly to a chair, just like he was.

" Katie, I'm so sorry I didn't hear you! Are you all right?"

"He never laid a finger on me, but I still hate his guts. As soon as we're out of these blasted ropes, I'm going go over to him and rip his tongue through his cheeks." Katie snarled.

"Who's he?"

"Looks like Ryder. Talks like Ryder. Walks like Ryder. Only difference is that he isn't Ryder. And that's why I hate him."

"How can that be? Is it like his twin brother, long lost twin brother?"

"No, Ryder would've told us a long time ago if you were right," Katie seemed to have calmed down, but the murderous look in her eyes persisted, "So Chase, how did you end up here? Were you on like some kind of a spying mission?"

Recalling the information in detail, Chase told Katie how Ryder sent him in to find where she was, how he followed her perfume scent to this room and how the ninja Pup picked a fight and eventually knocked him out.

"This Ryder lookalike and his dog are very evil. We have to stop them from getting to Ryder at all costs. Luckily, they seem to be the only ones here." exclaimed Katie, "Considering the conditions they're keeping us in, who knows what he might do to Ryder!"

"We have to warn him, but how?"

"He's already warned, _mes amis_." spoke a slight accented voice from behind the two.

"Let us go, we have done nothing wrong!" barked Chase.

As a dog emerged into their view, they both shut up. Without a doubt, the voice belonged to the ninja Pup who had attacked him earlier: red beret, a black jumpsuit and a balaclava. 'Can it be-no, no, no. Talon would never betray us!' thought Chase. In an attempt to appear fierce, he growled menacingly and twisted and turned violently. The ninja Pup appeared unimpressed.

"Save your energy for later, _mon ami_, you'll need it." he commented.

"Who are you?" Chase demanded, determined on unmasking the enemy, "Why do you want Ryder?"

"_Mon ami_, I don't want Ryder." he replied coolly and grinned, "Maybe it's time for a little introduction, perhaps?" A robotic arm slid out of his Pup Pack, wielding a razor sharp katana that was gleaming hauntingly in the moonlight.

Chase and Katie gasped in terror as the ninja Pup slowly advanced, slashing the air in front of him with the weapon. Whoosh! Whoosh! He stopped in front of the Chase and rested the blade flat-side-down on his shoulder.

"You're such a brave PAW Patroller, _mon ami_, but too bad you couldn't keep your mouth shut like your furry comrades. An extra mutt to look after isn't what we need."

"Back off, you monster!" Chase starting barking crazily, hoping to cause some intimidation.

The ninja Pup chuckled and withdrew the robotic arm back into his Pup Pack. "My human companion and I may be _les monstres_ to you fools, but in reality, we fight for justice. We fight it from infidels like Ryder."

"Don't call Ryder that!" thundered Chase.

"I can call him whatever damn I want, _mon ami_. And why don't you shut your mouth like _ce human_ here," The ninja Pup gestured at Katie, "because she clearly acknowledges when to surrender."

Chase glanced back at his friend, and frowned in dismay. Katie had become over-killed. Her eyes froze in place, her face revealed a grotesque look and her muscles twitched locked and refused to budge. The neurotoxin inside her body had begun to wreak havoc again. There was nothing Chase could do to stop that.

"She's injected with a non-lethal neurotoxin we commonly use in the Army, _mon ami_. She'll be fine." stated the ninja Pup.

"I promise when I'm set free, I will teach you a painful lesson on never touching the PAW Patrol again, and you'll thank me for it." threatened Chase, "And even if you and whoever you work for want Ryder here, you shouldn't have done this in order to get him."

"Oh no,_ mon ami_, we gave a warning. A good warning, but guess who ignored it? Ryder and his PAW Patrol."

"And what was that good warning, if I may ask?"

"_Mon ami_, the warning I'm speaking of may have seen accidental but it was all intentional. It was a trap, and of all the PAW Patrollers, you were affected the most."

"You mean -"

"Yes _mon ami_, the lightning strike that hit your Lookout a month ago was neutralized safely by lightning rods. Too bad they couldn't defend against _une bombe_."

"WHAT! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH -" Chase's face was flushed with the deepest shade of purple. His eyes glowed an angry crimson, his fur stuck on ends and his bared mouth formed a downright terrifying howl, threatening to break loose and dismember the ninja Pup. "PAIN I HAD TO GO THROUGH? GO TO HELL! AND NEVER -"

The ninja Pup suddenly lunged forward, the katana sprung into his paws and brushed it against the snout of the spy Pup, forcing him to cower back.

_"Ferme ton bouche_, _mon ami_, or I'll do it for you."


	9. Chapter 9

The full moon shone like spotlights down on Ryder.

He wasn't riding his ATV. There was no point. ATV's were somewhat prohibited at the place where he was going. ATV's made too much unnecessary noise. And the "Run 'n' Gun" and "Badass" design of ATV's contrasted with the serious character of the situation he was in. A situation he started off with a heart full of hope but now devoid of any faith. He had given up, for the first time in his life.

To add on, the secluded garage under the Lookout would be a much more honorable place as a final parking spot for his prized vehicle than at the side of a curb. Considering if he didn't make it out alive.

Earlier, Ryder confirmed he was going to the train station, much to the heart-breaking sadness of the PAW Patrol. Alone to negotiate with the kidnappers, who now held his dear police and spy Pup as well as Katie. There would be no turning back.

"But what are the kidnappers going to do to you?" Rubble had whimpered.

"But what about the PAW Patrol? We can help you beak Katie and Chase fee!" protested Zuma, tears leaking down his face.

"But what happens ... if you die in there?" whispered Skye fearfully.

"Don't worry, Pups, It's all my fault. Something wrong I had done in the past that has gotten Katie and Chase in this serious mess. They have the right to go on in life, I don't." said Ryder, kneeling down beside the Pups who were gathering around.

"But ... but we need you!" Marshall cried.

"Don't leave us, please, Ryder, please!" sniffled Rocky.

"I have to go Pups, there's no other choice. And if I die in there, if I die in there along, whether or not Katie and Chase survive or perish, I'll pass command of the PAW Patrol to Jake."

"Don't leave us!" wailed the Pups in unison as they buried themselves in Ryder, bawling hysterically.

Ryder began to feel the emotional tension within his soul. A year, no less than a year with the PAW Patrol, may not seem like a long time but when he was surrounded by the best Pups on the planet that possessed incomparable rescuing skills, determination and initiative; every emergency they rushed to and resolved seemed like an invaluable lifetime.

Ryder hugged them tightly, and uttered one last sentence of hope, "I love you all, Pups." before standing up and departing to the elevator.

"Wyder, Nooo!" Zuma wailed, who had to be held back by Rubble and Rocky in order to keep the water Pup from tackling the PAW Patrol leader.

"Farewell, PAW Patrol."


	10. Chapter 10

Erasing the painful memory, Ryder tried to remain confident by whistling a jaunty tune and remembering a playful day at the beach with Captain Turbot and Wally. But no matter how hard he tried to forget his emotional and probably last time with his dear Pups, it wasn't successful.

Finally, Ryder had arrived at the train station. Grand and majestic in the daytime, it was dilapidated and creepy in the dark. A mysterious figure leaning casually against the main entrance noticed his presence, got up and started towards him. Ryder automatically tightened his whole body, fury running through his system but unable to escape.

"Ah, Zack, you've come at last. I knew you would make this choice. Shall we begin the transaction?" asked the figure. Examining him, Ryder noted he was about the same height and body frame as him and wore a leather jacket, sweat pants and a ski mask. Has he seen him somewhere?

Ryder only managed to growl hatefully in reply. Suddenly, the figure drew up a silenced handgun. Ryder dropped at once, arms cowering around his face and hoped the figure had bad aim.

Squeezing his eyes shut and expecting an end to his life, the PAW Patrol leader heard two muffled shots. Next thing he knew, a familiar distressed bark echoed around him. Skye? But why was she following him? And if the aviation Pup was here, then the rest of the PAW Patrol must also be here!

Getting back up slowly and surely, Ryder found himself looking down the barrel of the silenced handgun. His heart sank to his shoes again.

"Guess our conditions are not met. Your PAW Patrol dogs have been accompanying you, Zack."

"No! DON'T KILL THEM! I'm here, just take me, just take me." stammered the Ryder, arms shooting up in surrender.

"What a great suggestion."

Something extremely sharp sank through Ryder's neck, causing him to fall to the ground and writhe and cry out in agony. Lashing like an enraged alligator to get throw off whatever had latched onto his neck, Ryder only found the excruciating sensation tearing away more and more and literally gobbling up his insides. Blood flew everywhere, yet mercy was nowhere to be seen.

"You can stop now."

The ninja Pup jumped off from Ryder. His canine teeth and black jumpsuit were drenched in a bright crimson. Ryder was left on the ground in a pool of blood like an abused child and cried in pain. A disturbing bite mark was now present at the back of his neck.

"Let the talk begin, Zack."


	11. Chapter 11

Rocky swept his hard blue eyes among the four other Pups, who were seated before him at the Lookout. They knew what had just happened to Ryder was horrifying, but worse, an insult to their own kind. What would Ryder think about them now?

Skye, in particular, was the most devastated. She sat there shivering and chattering uncontrollably, the thoughts of Ryder fighting getting horrifically mauled by a dog had plagued her mind with unprecedented fear.

"I'm - I'm sorry about what had just happened, everybody." the aviation Pup blurted out.

"It's okay," reassured Rubble, "Everybody would have done the same if they were in your paws."

"Quiet! No need for apologies now." said Rocky sternly. "We have a problem that is a matter of life or death. We are Ryder's, Katie's and Chase's only hope."

"So what should we do, Wocky?" Zuma piped up as he dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief.

"We have to infiltrate the train station and bring them out."

"What!" exclaimed Marshall. "And get captured like the others by them? Have you seen what these people can do? No way!"

Rocky angrily leapt on top of Marshall, knocking him down and barking out words of pure disgust. "Listen to me, Dalmatian, I would rather die than see the PAW Patrol disbanded. We serve for the entire Adventure Bay community. We are the very foundations of this town, you hear?"

"Stop, Wocky, fighting will not help! We need to make a carefully-planned Wescue." interrupted Zuma, pulling his best friend off.

"That's not what Marshall meant, Rocky, you're taking things too seriously." said Skye, rolling her eyes.

Rocky shot Marshall another nasty glare and continued his reign as the temporary ringleader of the PAW Patrol, "We will infiltrate the train station like Chase, but we will do something differently this time. Something that will surely guarantee success."

"What?" asked Rubble.

Rocky trotted over to a control panel and flipped a few switches. A mechanical drone filled the command center as a large metal vault erupted slowly out of the floor. The Pups stepped back in awe, their gaze following the descent of the vault. Rocky walked over, unlocked the door via a snippy biometric paw scanning and revealed the contents.

The Pups gasped, not in fright but in excitement. The vault contained militarized versions of their standard PAW Patrol uniforms, all colored in black and grey camouflage patterns and bearing a unifying badge of a dog skull against two crossbones.

"Ryder built these when the PAW Patrol was first created. He feared a rescue requiring drastic actions would be imminent." remarked Rocky.

"Do we ... put them on?" Marshall questioned, dumbstruck.

"Of course. What do you think he wants us to do, recycle them?"


	12. Chapter 12

"Wow, I look different."

Marshall was admiring himself in front of a mirror, posing in different positions as if he was in a fire Pups' fashion contest.

The fire Pup wore an Army helmet, a fireproof vest and a monocle with a red lens. He gave a bark and a small firearm with multiple barrels, known as a Minigun, popped out of his new rugged Pup Pack. His new badge was a burning riot shield against two crossed police batons.

Marshall started drooling at the sleek deadliness of his image. Just then, he remembered the other Pups. They too, were dressed to kill. Or whatever dogs who wore these all the time did.

Rubble had put on a cumbersome bomb disposal helmet. His combat vest was more heavy-duty than his yellow construction one. His Pup Pack produced a pneumatic catapult with the ability to hurl non-lethal grenades at insane speeds. He too possessed the monocle but with a yellow reticule. His new badge was a frag grenade.

Skye's fighter pilot helmet seemed very advanced and high-tech, complete with rangefinders, target locaters and a pink visor. Her battle armor was light but tough and her new jetpack had dual ramjet engine and rocket pod. Her new badge was a cruise missile with angel wings.

Zuma had donned on an obstructing scuba mask and orange-lensed goggles. He wore a sleek wetsuit, outfitted with a futuristic scuba system. A high-pressure water cannon shaped like a shotgun perched on his shoulder. His new badge was a Navy frogman with a harpoon.

"Hey, wasn't I supposed to have that?" asked Marshall, eying Zuma's water cannon with envious eyes.

"Uh, no?" replied the water Pup, unsure of what to say.

Probably the deadliest of the team was Rocky. He wore an Army cap, sunglasses with green lenses and a ballistic vest holding multiple throwing knives, each capable of being launched with great accuracy by his two mechanical arms. His new badge was the black-and-yellow nuke symbol.

"Alright, Pups, are you ready for action?" shouted Rocky with the charisma of an auctioneer.

"Rocky, we don't have a plan yet." Skye interrupted, annoyed, "And we're not trained for Army ops."

"Of course we have a plan, Skye, I'm the plan." Marshall held out his Minigun and started pretending he was firing at bad guys, until he began to sway unsteadily and fell over, unable to get back up, "Oops, some help here, please? Guys?"

"Leave Marshall there so he won't cause any more troubles." Rocky ordered. "So what we do. Skye will drop us off at the roof. Marshall and Rubble will storm the hostage position from the left, which is Terminal 1, Hall 3, Door 10, while Zuma and I will take it from the right. While we engage the kidnappers, Skye will come in to rescue the Katie, Ryder and Chase."

"And what about my second question?" asked Skye again.

"Just wing it. These equipment are relatively easy to use, and best of all, they're super light! And lastly, for this mission and this mission only, we will no longer be known as the PAW Patrol. We are now Unit PAW. Hurrah?"

"Hurrah!" chanted Unit PAW, their morale now as high as a skyscraper.

"I'll go get my copter." stated Skye as she somersaulted down the slide.

"Everybody else, ready up quickly! We're going to go on a hunt."

**Please give a review, as it will help me further improve on the story! Thanks!**


	13. Chapter 13

Ryder, strapped down like the unconscious girl and dog on either side of him, bore an unforgiving scowl at the mysterious figure. The ninja Pup laid by his side, sound asleep.

"You should release them now." began Ryder hatefully.

"I was going to." remarked the figure. "Until I saw you had some help. It's a penalty for your wrongdoing, Zack."

"I had no idea they were going to follow me."

"Okay, Zack, whatever you say." Ryder could tell he wasn't buying it, yet something else caught his utmost attention. Why was his face covered?

"Why do you wear that ridiculous mask?"

The figure, taken back by the question, chuckled evilly. He lifted his hands up to his face and with a sudden flick of his wrist, ripped it off.

Ryder gasped in shock, "Ranger."

Ranger, the person who captured Katie, the person who held her and Chase hostage at the train station, but most importantly, the person was Ryder's twin brother. They were identical, except for Ranger's left facial distortions which was covered by a half white mask, but their personalities were polar opposites.

Ranger nodded in acknowledgement and kneeled before his brother, "Long time no see, bro."

"Why did you come here, Ranger? You're better off in the Army."

"Yes, and that's where I belong now. You see, everymen who have the surname Ryder since the dawn of civilization have served proudly with weaponry."

"Doesn't mean I have to."

Lunging up, Ranger slapped Ryder hard. Ryder turned to glare at him again, bleeding from a purplish bruise on his cheek. Grabbing Ryder by his vest collar, Ranger screamed in his face, "Listen to me, Zack, every other Ryder men served with great pride in the Army, EXCEPT FOR YOU! You chose this dirty job, where useless mutts are your only friends and where you save a stupid town from stupid emergencies EVERY SINGLE DAY! You disgraced the family tradition. And you will pay for your decision."

"You do not lead my life, Ranger," snarled Ryder, "I lead my own. This is where my heart wants to be."

Letting go of his brother, Ranger stepped backwards, only to roundhouse kick him in the guts. Ryder doubled over in pain, but was pulled back up when Ranger pounced on his throat.

"Zack, this will be the day where you can learn of your true destiny." Ranger sneered, "There is no other way."

Ryder, struggling uselessly against brute strength, sputtered and spat, "Let go, Ranger, this is my life. The PAW Patrol and I are one. You cannot break us apart. And what about Dad, he chose a life as a respected doctor."

Smiling, Ranger stripped off his leather jacket and sweat pants. Underneath, he wore the same clothing as Ryder. The vest, the vest, the pants, the shoes, everything was literally a clone copy.

"Nobody can tell us apart now, Zack. Nobody will see it coming."

"You mean ... you're going to impersonate me?"

"What better way is there in unstitching you from your imprisonment here in Adventure Bay?" asked Ranger, "I gave you a warning by blowing up your Lookout, you held onto your dumb job, and now you leave me choice-less. Killing you won't be an option; I'll have to force you."

"It's not going to work!" shouted Ryder enraged.

"Of course it will, Zack. Nobody can tell the difference between us twins."

"You're wrong, Ranger." Ryder replied, calming down, "Your attitude and character will spill the beans. Everybody in Adventure Bay will know at once that you're a failing fake."

"We'll see about that, Zack. And when I'm done, you'll have no other choice but to join me rightfully in the Army."


	14. Chapter 14

Whup whup whup!

Skye's VTOL aircraft touched down at the rooftop of the train station, dangling four fully-geared combatants. In an instant, they detached themselves and took up defensive positions along the roof, weapons drawn.

Ironically, the goofball was the first to speak.

"Oh my gosh," gasped Marshall out-of-breath, "Never ever take me flying with you guys again!"

"Stop you whining, Marshall, we don't have time for it. Skye, circle around the station. When we give you the confirmation, drop in and rescue them." ordered Rocky.

"Got it, Rocky" The helicopter took off once more, the down-shaft kicking up a tornado of dried leaves and dust.

"Alright, Unit PAW, move out." Rocky commanded.

"Rocky, I'm kind of scared." whispered Marshall.

"What is it now, Marshall?"

"Well, uh, you see we're still puppies. Not yet fully grown. Even Chase, the oldest of us, had just had his third birthday like a few weeks ago, so uh -"

"We can't turn back. If you're so scared, Rubble will take care for you."

'Mm mm mmph" muffled the English Bulldog. His huge helmet was great for protection against explosives, no so great for having a simple conversation. Every word that came out of his mouth was a mystery to comprehend.

Adrenaline pumping through their bodies, the Pups went down the stairwell single-file. Marshall, being the last one, accidentally tripped and crashed into the other Pups. In a big ball of tangled limbs, furry bodies and advanced weaponry, they rolled down. Not exactly a suitable way for infiltrating a target building containing highly dangerous operatives.


	15. Chapter 15

Unfortunately, the faulty entry made by Unit PAW was obviously heard.

The ninja Pup shot straight up and landed on clawed paws, his ears trained to the muffled yet somewhat distinctive groans. Howling wickedly, the dog dashed swiftly out.

"I got them, _mon ami_." he called back to Ranger before disappearing into the darkness.

The ninja Pup sprinted and sprinted through a maze of benches and hallways, then halted abruptly at a corner. Listening observantly, he could sense minute movement the adjacent wall. Drawing out his katana, he crept forward slyly.

It happened so that Rocky and Zuma were on the other side of the wall. But they weren't as lax as the ninja Pup.

"Be prepared for anything, Zuma. We're very close to the location of the three. Expect anything dangerous at this point onwards." stated Rocky, arming his mechanical arms with throwing knives as he stopped in front of a garbage can.

"Yes, Wocky –"

Suddenly, a startling whoosh broke the silence. The metal can before the lead PAW Patroller exploded in a shower of sparks, then rolled over, cleanly sliced in half.

The ninja Pup emerged, wielding his long blade like a samurai. His penetrative and hideous glare was filled with the fire of burning hate.

"I knew I'd expect a rescue, _mes amis_." he chuckled.

"Welease Wyder, Katie and Chase and you won't be hurt!" shouted Zuma bravely, his water cannon trained at the undaunted enemy.

The ninja Pup sneered and jumped at the PAW Patrollers, his mechanical arm automatically adjusting his katana to deflect a throwing knife flung by Rocky. Then, a salvo of seven knives were launched in rapid succession. The ninja Pup's katana were a blur, and soon enough, the ground in between the two sides was littered with knives.

"_Stupid_e," He growled as he swung his katana at Rocky, who ducked and backed away just in the nick of time.

Now it was Zuma's turn. Blasting a powerful stream of pressurized water, it hit spot on and threw the ninja Pup against a wall with a sickening thud. Zuma shot another stream, only to be dodged skillfully. The ninja Pup's shuriken launcher was produced and launched a serrated blade at the water cannon, burying itself inside and rendering the weapon unusable.

"My cannon's broke!" gasped Zuma, "You have to attack him now, Wocky!"

A trio of throwing knives sailed invisibly through the air and jammed the shuriken launcher. It was ripped off before exploding into an awesome fireball.

Anticipating this moment, Rocky loaded his last knife and flung it. The shot was a success as the knife severed the katana-wielding mechanical arm. Snarling savagely, the ninja Pup cracked his paw knuckles and got into a fighting stance. Zuma and Rocky followed en suite and cautiously advanced towards the enemy.

"Hey, what are we doing?" whispered Zuma.

"Paw-to-paw combat." replied Rocky.

"What! We haven't twained for this!"

"Too late for that."

The ninja Pup hollered a furious war cry and charged like a bronco bull. The stunned PAW Patrollers, realizing they have nowhere to run, readied themselves for the fate-deciding battle of their lives.


	16. Chapter 16

"It looks like the PAW Patrol are here to rescue you and your friends." declared Ranger as he cocked his silenced handgun and twirled it around his index finger.

Ryder refused to budge, talk or even make eye contact. The tension in the air was real.

"What? Giving me the silent treat -"

Suddenly the door blew open. Dust kicked up immediately, engulfing the room in a dense storm. Squeezing his eyes shut, Ryder coughed without stop and squirmed away from the irritant particles.

Ranger staggered like wounded game into the vicinity, then limped up to Ryder, his hand clasping firmly on his firearm, "If your mutt pets did this, Zack, I swear -"

Firing from somewhere in the chaos, rounds after rounds of rubber-tipped bullets showered and pounded on Ranger's body, knocking him down. Hastily blocking his face with his forearm, Ranger struggled to get back up.

"Go PAW Patrol!" cheered Ryder loudly, despite the sand literally clogging up his mouth.

"Shut up, you should be cheering for me!" shrieked Ranger as he slugged his twin brother, forcing him and the chair he was bound to topple onto the ground.

Marshall's Minigun continued to fire, the barrels flashing like white fireworks. Ranger, now very provoked, picked up a chair and threw it at the fire Pup, plowing the Minigun off his Pup Pack. Yelping in fright, he rapidly scampered out.

"He's after me, a Ryder lookalike is after me!" screamed Marshall out of breath to Rubble, who earlier had breached the door with explosives and was waiting patiently outside, "We need to get some more help!"

"Mm mm murph?"

"Can you speak properly? I can't -"

Ranger sprang into the hallway, silenced pistols gripped tightly and a paranoid look in his eyes. Aiming randomly as he frantically searched for the Unit PAW intruders, it gave Rubble enough time to load a flash grenade. He catapulted it into the air and landed with a metallic ping.

"We should scram now!" cried Marshall. He grabbed Rubble's collar and together they sprinted away.

Instantly the sights of the pistol was trained on the flash grenade. Ranger breathed a sigh of relief when he believed that it wasn't anything deadly. His heart ceased pounding as he bent over to pick it up. The word "FLASH" was labelled boldly on the grenade.

'Flash?' he wondered, feeling the grenade's icy metal skin, 'Is that like some of a photography thingy?'

An intense white light overtook Ranger's eyesight. He was blinded and couldn't see anything, much less retreating dogs. His hands shot to his eyes while firing wild and missing shots with his firearm and cursed loudly.

'Do Ryder's mutts have superpowers or something?' he thought.


	17. Chapter 17

Predicting the two PAW Patrol mutts to put up a demoralized battle, the ninja Pup skillfully leaped over them. He grabbed onto each of their ears and then forcibly brought his paws together, smashing them against each other in the head.

"Ouch" cried Zuma and Rocky in unison.

Landing behind the dazed PAW Patrollers now, the ninja Pup roundhouse kicked Zuma behind the head. The chocolate Lab cried out, twisted around then flopped down unconscious.

"Your _ami_ was right, you itty bitty witty _chiens_ aren't trained to do this." The ninja Pup smiled evilly. The PAW Patrol thought they knew everything, climbing mountains, riding waves and playing shadow tag, yet fighting was not amongst them. The violent topic would definitely have been strictly censored by the leader in order to maintain a respectful reputation of the PAW Patrol.

Rocky growled ferociously and threw a wild jab. The ninja Pup ducked and then tackled him onto the cold ground. His bloodstained bared teeth reflected Rocky's terrified scowl. The mix-breed thrashed but still was unable to counter the submission.

"This is a waste of my time, _mon ami_. Do you want to get laid the painful or painless way?" asked the ninja Pup, yet in his mind he already knew that his victim would have absolutely no power of choice.

"Get off!" Rocky rammed the Pup in the muzzle with all of his remaining energy. Startled by the sudden retaliation, he pounded Rocky repeatedly in the face until the mix-breed gave out and ceased struggling.

"_Au revoir_, _mon ami_."

Suddenly, a lethal amount of voltage stormed his body. Every muscle locked ad refused to budge. A chilling screech erupted out of his mouth. As quickly as it came, it was over. Collapsing to the floor, the ninja Pup made no attempt to crawl away. Every ounce of strength within had vanished without a trace.

Yet he still wasn't ready to surrender without breaking a few bones.

"I never break promises," came Chase's voice from behind. It was vicious and nasty, "You've hurt my friends dearly," he continued with increasing rage, "NOW GET UP AND FIGHT!"

"You want me to fight, _non?_" the ninja Pup choked.

Silence.

"Wish granted, _mon ami_." Twisting around in a blink of an eye, the ninja Pup analyzed his enemy: a German Sheppard in a black spy suit and armed with a crackling stun gun. His face bore an unforgiving glare. Nevertheless, he wasn't intimidated; he had faced much worse.

With a swift punch, the gadget went out of sight. Seizing the moment of confusion, the ninja Pup head-butted Chase, thereby shifting the position of dominance. Now the German Sheppard was the one who was pinned down.

"You're nothing, _mon ami_." he snarled.

Unfortunately for the ninja Pup, Chase wriggled out a paw, punched his enemy straight in the jaws and forcing him back on his feet.

Chase jumped up as well, then withdrew an object from his suit. The ninja Pup recognized it instantly, a police baton, potentially fatal when used against the untrained.

Galloping forward with the speed of a dragster, Chase swung the weapon and missed by a hair. The enemy dove to his right and attempted another roundhouse kick. The German Sheppard managed to block the attack, then swung the baton again. Another shameful miss.

"Pathetic little _spectre_." taunted the ninja Pup as he ripped out the baton and snapped it in half.

Seizing the moment, Chase speared him down, yet his enemy was the first to recover and put him in an iron headlock. The ninja Pup released it after a storm of cussing and biting, only to the execute the mother of all martial arts moves.

The double-pawed hook.

Chase flew up high and crashed down hard. He could no longer put up another fight. Many of his ribs were crushed, he couldn't see straight and his body was battered beyond recognition.

The ninja Pup inched closer on hind legs. Activating a command on his wrist computer, a trio of titanium knives sprouted out of his glove, more than enough to put the poor PAW Patroller out of his misery.

"Just kill me." whimpered Chase , making no efforts to crawl away, "I'll die in honor."

"An honorable wish, _mon ami_." Bowing in respect, the ninja Pup swooped down and stabbed his claws into Chase. He screamed and writhed in agony as the claw was lodged into his flank and remained there. He begged for mercy, but it was all fruitless. Death was inevitable.

Pulling his claws out of the lifeless dog, the ninja Pup lifted it up to his mouth and licked the blood. Fresh as a summer day.

Suddenly, his hair stood on ends. There was something behind him.

"Sabre."

Now the ninja Pup, whose name had finally been revealed to be Sabre, recognized that accented voice. There were a handful of creatures in the world who were acquired of his name. All but two of them have perished. One of them was his human companion, Ranger.

That left the other.

Talon.


	18. Chapter 18

Ranger's vision had returned.

His cheeks were burning with shame and embarrassment. How could a stun grenade, a weapon so commonly used by the forces he one day was to join, have fooled his hardened judgment and led to the escape of the mutts' escape?

The handgun laid nearby. Its silencer was missing. Now whenever the firearm would be fired, everything in this town would know. Nevertheless, his instinct won over logic as he found himself reaching for it.

Ranger wrapped his worn hands around the cool metal, sending multiple wave of cold-blooded joy to every nerve in his body. It was an addictive experience he would kill for.

Unfortunately, the sensation suddenly ceased. A red and blue sneaker with white laces clamped down on his hand, hindering any movement. Ranger casually looked up.

"You're going nowhere, Ranger."

Ryder grabbed his twin brother's head and smashed his knee into his jaw. It was a devastating MMA move he had learned a long time ago and at this moment, it couldn't have been done any better.

Ranger's head cracked back and he was thrown down. A purplish abrasion remained on his left cheek, an injury common in the Army. Soothing it carefully, he arched his legs and lower back and kicked powerfully, bringing himself up as if he was being revived by a celestial being.

"I see you've escaped," Ranger chuckled casually, "Nice move, though. Now let's see what else you have learned."

The PAW Patrol leader charged, causing Ranger to scoot to safety and stuck out his foot. It met Ryder's ankle and made him trip. Nevertheless, Ryder absorbed the fall with an acrobatic dive.

"Keep impressing me, Zack."

"Like I said Ranger. You're. Going. Nowhere."

Ignoring the threat, Ranger sprinted at Ryder, arms slicing through the air like a marathoner. Expecting his brother to copy his actions, he was correct. As he watched Ryder start up to run, Ranger imagined a mirror image of himself.

Only stupider.

Just as they were about to collide, Ranger stuck out his right arm, caught Ryder in the neck and forced him onto the ground. And this time, Ranger wasn't going to be nice.

Ranger darted forwards and clamped his hands shut Ryder's throat, suddenly cutting off oxygen. The PAW Patrol leader started to scratch the suffocating hands. He kicked, he trashed and he spitted, but it was all of no use. Soon, Ryder's face had turned a light purple.

"Let...GO!" sputtered Ryder, sweat running down his forehead, "I'm your...BROTHER!"

"I know, Zack." replied Ranger calmly, "That's why I'm doing this to you -"

A leg smashed into his neck. Throwing down his choking brother, Ranger howled in pain. Ryder, on the other hand, gasped for a breath and laid in a babyish position, garbling and gurgling without stop.

"YOU BRAT!" shrieked Katie, "TAKE THIS!"

The blade of her hand guillotined his shoulder, forcing Ranger to recuperate on his left knee. With rage, he swung his fist at the Katie's stomach, hitting spot-on and causing her to stumble back dizzily.

"Fight me, Katie." sneered Ranger.

Whooping, Katie launched a hook, only to have it countered by Ranger's crossed arms. The attack deflected off uselessly, and just allowed enough hesitation for Ranger to snap a kick to her jaw. Katie instantly collapsed head-over-heels, unknowingly becoming an inviting target. Drawing out his handgun, Ranger trained it on the unconscious girl's blonde head.

And for the second time that night, the firearm was knocked out of his tight grip. Ryder body-slammed him like a professional wrestler, then started to pummel him with jabs and punches. Kicking as if he was a bronco bull, Ranger launched his brother off of him.

Ranger retrieved out his handgun and aimed down-sight. Before him was the PAW Patrol leader, still recovering from the sharp blow to his chest. The iron sights hovered around his abdomen and a finger slowly tightened around the trigger.

"Bye, bye, Zack." Ranger smiled.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Ryder froze. A pained expression took over his face, and remained there. His stomach now had three dark red splotches. Blood was gushing from the gaping holes like a leaky faucet. He crashed down, moaning heavily and clutching his guts.

The PAW Patrol leader had been shot. Not once, not twice but thrice.

Holstering his weapon, Ranger knelt down beside Ryder and produced a tissue from his pocket. He dabbed the blood coming out of his brother's mouth and then gently ruffled his hair with the affection of siblings. Ryder was still holding onto his stomach. Blood was forming a small pool around him.

"You will forever be my dear brother, Zack. You must understand why I have to do this to you." said Ranger as he got back up.

"Don't...leave...me...Ranger..." whispered Ryder, a tear rolling down his cheek.

Sighing, Ranger walked away into the shadows of the night. Pushing aside the plead of his brother, a new and more sinister thought prevailed. His original plans to kidnap Ryder had failed, but it wasn't the end of the world for him. What did matter was how he would escape.


	19. Chapter 19

"Of the things you could've done to welcome back an old pal, mate, you chose to kill one of my best friends." growled Talon angrily as he started towards Sabre.

"There's nothing you can do now, _mon ami_, I took the _vie_ of your spy friend. You're lucky I didn't vanquish the other two." snarled the ninja Pup, brandishing his metal claws, "You don't know how much I want to stick these through their, and your, _cerveaus_."

"Screw you, mate, ever since I left your band of no-life Army losers, you've started to act like a rabid mutt who's messed in the head."

"_FERME TON BOUCHE_!" roared Sabre, his bulging veins forming gorges on his balaclava, "Now tell me, _mon ami_, why did you leave us? _POURQUOI_?"

"Don't worry, I'll engrave the reason why on your tombstone, mate."

Unleashing a bloodthirsty howl, Sabre sprang at Talon, who had stopped walking and instead watched the ninja Pup. Just as Saber was about to land on him, he stuck out his claws.

If the security Pup hadn't moved, he would have been impaled and hacked into pieces. But Talon wasn't one of those who looked all tough and mean on the outside, yet lacked any self-defense skills. He was a Pup trained for a battle to the end.

Talon easily sidestepped and deployed his own weapon, a bone-shaped Tomahawk. He swung it and it sliced off each of the bloodstained claws with consecutive metallic pops. Landing at a good distance away from his foe, Sabre turned back and barked with the ferociousness of a protective mother. He might've lost an overestimated advantage, but like his lifelong inspirations, the fierce Japanese Army of WWII, he wouldn't be waving the white flag over his head any time soon.

"Too slow, mate, and I thought I'd gotten worse at picking a fight." sneered Talon. Barking, a small tube rose up from his Pup Pack, and an orange missile poked through the top. Barking again, a lick of flame erupted from the launcher as the projectile erupted out at the speed of light.

Sabre had only enough time to make a hasty dive before the spot beneath where he was standing exploded into a pulsing supernova, lodging tiny bits of shrapnel into the ninja Pup. The shockwave from the blast was so great that some stained windows near the ceiling shattered instantly and Talon himself was knocked a bit back, send his dagger scattering across the floor.

Howling, Sabre broke into a sprint, vaulted over the security Pup and sank his teeth into the rogue Pup Pack. Crunching down, wires and major circuit boards embedded inside were irreversibly severed, destroying all of Talon's gadget, including the feared missile launcher.

The security Pup bucked his legs violently like a rodeo bull, throwing Sabre onto the ground. Sparks flew from his mauled Pup Pack. Shedding it, he faced Sabre. Their hardened eyes locked with the rivalry of martial artists. Now both of them were without any arm. It would ultimately be up to the paw-to-paw battle wits that would declare a victorious survivor.

"You think kidnapping Ryder and beating up his PAW Patrollers would go by unnoticed, mate? Why would you fools make such a stupid mistake?"

"I NEVER MADE ANY MISTAKE!" thundered Sabre as he charged once more. Talon flew out, dodged a kick and grabbed the ninja Pup's jumpsuit. He picked him up and pitched him body at a ticket booth. Sabre cleanly shot through the glass and crashed against mounds of paperwork and machinery with a painfully loud crash.

Never would he expect what was going to happen next. Talon leaped to the ticket booth as well, went to a recovering Sabre and hauled him up. He took hold of both of the ninja Pup's arms and held them back while forcing his head forward. It was an excruciating submission that caused Sabre to cry out and thrash, but still wasn't enough to break the strength of Talon..

"I left the Army for a good reason, mate." growled Talon, "You're serving the Army for a bad one."

"At least I didn't betray _mes camarades_ by ditching them!" Sabre grunted lividly.

That tore it. Talon's eyes blackened until his eye sockets was empty and chilling. His mouth formed a horrendously enraged snarl and his fur stood up like an electrified cat. With a sudden pull he brought Sabre's arms past his ears.

Snap! Snap!

Sabre screamed and stopped thrashing. Both of his front limbs had been broken.

"Let go, _mon ami_!" pleaded Sabre, tears flowing freely down his face and onto his jumpsuit, "I'm sorry, _je suis désolé_, just please let go!"

"I saw everything you've done, mate. Biting Ryder, scratching Cali, Zuma and Rocky. And let's not forget killing Chase. Sabre mate, you really deserve to die."

"NO! NO! NOOOO!" wailed Sabre as he crumpled down onto his knees, "I'm sorry, _mon ami_, I'm not ready to die!"

Ignoring his whines and releasing his hold of the ninja Pup, Talon, in a flash, seized another Tomahawk from his belt. He then shoved Sabre onto the ground and pinned him there with his foot. The ninja Pup was whimpering uncontrollably, anticipating the moment when the blade would sail down and decapitate him.

"Sabre mate, you've been running away from justice for too long, good bye." And with that said, Talon hacked at the Sabre. Hew after hew, slice after slice, chop after chop, the security Pup mutilated the ninja Pup, until the point when blood was everywhere.

"That was fun."


End file.
